Staghorn Algae Help

Dr. Awkward

Dr. Awkward

AC Members
Jan 11, 2009
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Texas
I have been battling staghorn algae in my low tech planted tank for close to a year now. I thought I had finally knocked it out but after a three or four month hiatus the staghorn came back this week. I hope someone can help me figure out what I'm doing wrong.

This is a 12 gallon tank, 2wpg, pH 7.5, KH 4, ammonia/nitrites 0ppm, nitrates 20ppm. Photo period is 10 hours a day. I've tried reducing that with limited results. I do two 10% water changes a week. Substrate is Baylees Better Bottom sand. Plants are all crypts, about 20 plants total. I also have a moss ball to help absorb excess nutrients. I use Seachem root tabs for macros and dose Seachem Comprehensive once a week for micros/trace. I do not use CO2 and I would like to keep it that way. I tried DIY and pressurized CO2 with a drop checker for a couple months but gave up after I didn't see any results. Excel melts the crypts so no help there. I have decent plant growth and no other algae except some occasional green spot on the glass. The staghorn is hitting both old and new leaves, but mostly old leaves.

Thank you for any help you can send my way.
 
I have a small staghorn problem as well, and all the research i have done on removing it is is either getting some amano shrimp, nerites, or increasing your c02 level.

Or removal by hand of course. this stuff sucks :(

edit: have you tried spot-treating with flourish excel? put a small amount in a syringe, turn off any circulation to your tank and ooze the excel out on top of your algae. MIGHT kill it within a day or 2.
 
Thank you. The tank has Amanos and nerites but they don't eat it. I've tried spot treating with hydrogen peroxide but it kills the leaves before it has any effect on the algae. Excel melts the crypts faster than anything so that doesn't work either. I've tried cranking the CO2 but that didn't have much of an effect. It also kind of defeats the purpose of having a low tech tank if you have to use pressurized CO2.

I ordered some Seachem Purigen. Maybe it will help level out the excess nutrients. If that doesn't work I guess I'll go back to adding CO2.
 
Staghorn algae is aptly named as its branching resembles the antlers of a stag’s horns. They are coarse, branching strands that commonly attach to plant leaves and equipment. The strands can appear white, grey, or green in coloration.
Causes:

  • Nutrient Imbalance – Strive for the following nutrient levels: N (10-20ppm), P (0.5-2ppm), K (10-20ppm), Ca (10-30ppm), Mg (2-5ppm), Fe (.1ppm).
  • Low CO2 - Strive for 20-30ppm concentration of CO2, as permitted by fauna.
Cures:

  • Manual removal - Use toothbrush to remove as much as possible.
  • Water change - Maintain weekly/bi-weekly water change schedule.
  • Increase CO2 - This will stimulate plant growth, which should help the plants out-compete the algae for resources.
  • Bleach treatment - Dip affected items/hardy plants into a bleach/water solution using a 1:20 ratio of bleach to water. Before putting them back into the tank, make sure the item is free of any bleach odor.
  • OxiClean treatment - Dip affected hardscape items in a OxiClean solution, making sure you only use the original OxiClean with no other additives.
  • Maintain proper macro (NPK) dosing scheme
Note:

  • Most fish/inverts will not eat staghorn algae.
 
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Thanks, but I've already read all the websites. I was hoping someone with personal experience could help me.

janis-aqua - I'm pretty sure copying and pasting from Guitarfish without a credit is a copyright violation, someone might want to remove that to be safe.
 
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